Weiss breathing easier after Holmes, López bring bright spots to rotation

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Braves manager Walt Weiss will likely feel really good a few months from now if he’s still able to count both Grant Holmes and Reynaldo López as dependable and valuable members of his rotation.

But for now, he’s just happy to say both pitchers have created confidence that they will continue to successfully distance themselves from the season-ending injuries they sustained last year.

“It makes me sleep a little easier at night, for sure,” Weiss said.

Weiss and other Braves decision-makers had some restless nights at the start of camp, when they learned that Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep will miss at least two months while recovering from right arthroscopic elbow surgery. There was already some uncertainty about López, who made one start before undergoing season-ending right shoulder surgery last year, and Holmes, who was shut down in August when an MRI exam of his right elbow showed a partially torn flexor tendon and ulnar collateral ligament.

And it’s still unknown whether Spencer Strider will ever return to being the dominant frontline starter he was before undergoing a second major elbow surgery two starts into the 2024 season.

Accounting for all of this, it’s easy to see why these past few days have made Weiss feel better about his injury-depleted rotation. Strider’s fastball generated a few “97” readings from the CoolToday Park radar gun on Thursday. López's new changeup grip created some more positive reviews on Friday. And Holmes exited Saturday’s 2 2/3-inning start against the Orioles -- a game that ended in a 2-2 tie -- having still not allowed a run this spring.

“I know how important our pitching is, especially with those guys coming off injuries last year,” Weiss said. ”There's been a lot of positives this camp, and that's right near the top, the way our starting pitchers look.”

Here’s something to like about each of these six Braves starters. Six? Well, with Holmes, Bryce Elder and Joey Wentz out of options, each could find themselves on the Opening Day roster. You could call it a six-man rotation, or simply refer to one of them as the swingman. But with Schwellenbach and Waldrep set to miss most or all of the first half, it's imperative to preserve depth however possible.

Chris Sale: He’s 37 and has dealt with his share of injuries during the early years of this decade. But the 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner seems to still have plenty of fuel in his tank. Thirteen of his 63 fastballs this spring have clocked 96 mph or faster. What’s the big deal? Remember when he struggled early last season, and his fastball sat in the low 90s? Well, it was never a matter of arm strength. It was all about his mechanics, which have appeared sound since the start of camp.

Strider: Strider touched 96.7 mph twice, and his four-seamer averaged 95 mph during Thursday’s outing against the Blue Jays. The velo isn’t back to where it was during his incredibly dominant days, but even as he enhanced his effort, his fastball still had some late life. Strider's inverted vertical break was 17 inches. That’s not quite where it was in 2023, when it was 18.4 inches, but it’s better than last year’s number (16.4 inches).

Strider will also rely on the curveball that he successfully added to his repertoire last year, and his slider, which induced a whiff with five of 12 swings on Thursday.

López: The 2024 All-Star has consistently changed speeds with his fastball, showing he can still throw 96-plus and still pace himself. His slider was spotty on Friday, but he now feels good about going down and in against right-handed hitters. A new grip has helped him get a swing and miss with three of the four swings taken against his changeup during his past two starts.

Holmes: The right-hander believes the UCL tear found last year might have been pre-existing. As he touched 96.1 mph and got a whiff with five of nine swings against his cutter, slider and changeup on Saturday, he looked healthy. Holmes showed his potential when he posted a 2.73 ERA over 11 starts from May 12-July 6 last season.

Elder and Wentz: One of these guys will be the fifth starter, and the other will likely begin the season as either the sixth starter or one of two relievers who have the capability of starting if necessary. Elder has always struggled during Spring Training, so allowing one run through five innings (two starts) is a win. Both of these right-handers will take another step toward the season during Sunday’s game against the Rays.